An Interview at Hogwarts
by MuseumGeek
Summary: An aspiring teacher goes for an interview.


A/N This was written for a lj friend who requested Dumbledore's first job interview for Hogwarts.

"Mr Albus Dumbledore? They are ready for you now."

Albus Dumbledore looked up from his robes. There was a particularly pleasing pattern of blanched almond and alizarin crimson embroidery on a burnt umber background. It had taken him a long while to choose something suitable for a job interview, and he thought that they were sufficiently formal and teacherish. The green lace collar had been inspired by a radium party Sissilis Malderkin had talked him into attending ("Come on Albie, you'll never believe what potions the muggles next door are playing with") and the violet and silver striped socks had been a good luck present from Perenelle Flamel. In hindsight the chiming buckles had been a mistake, but...

"Excuse me, Mr Dumbledore?" Smiling, he followed her along the corridor "Mind the third floor board, it has a nasty habit of bouncing." Looking up at the ceiling he could see several dark smudges where heads had been bumped.

"A new jinx? Well done. I don't believe my contemporaries were more imaginative than a vanishing charm."

Leselia Frost walked a little faster. This one was even stranger than poor Mr Hammond, who had departed so suddenly. "Here we are" She tried not to let the relief in her voice show. Dumbledore gave her a wave and stepped inside the office.

There were a witch and two wizards seated behind a desk, each with a quick quill poised ready to take notes. They introduced themselves, and Professor Tubbet ("Charms, but subbed for old Hammond when he had one of his turns") drew up a chair. It was a particularly elegant Mackintosh design, and Professor Maquire clapped her hands

"Oh, jolly good Felix."

Armando Dippet coughed gently (to remind them he was in charge, it was easy to miss him) and nodded to the papers on his desk, who rearranged themselves into a neat pile.

"Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Head Boy, Prefect, a student I am sure we all remember" he gave a wheezy laugh, which turned into a cough

Antirhinum Maquire spoke up in her deceptively shakey voice "You have been working with Nicolas Flammel, and you were the Gold Medal-Winner for Ground-Breaking Contribution to the International Alchemical Conference in Cairo two years ago. Why are you applying for a Transfiguration post and not for Alchemy?"

Dumbledore's voice was also deceptively mild "There was no vacancy for an Alchemy teacher." he smiled, anticipating her next question "I did consider Potions, but if you look at my application, you will see that during my time as the British Youth Representative to the Wizengamot I worked closely with Darcimus Grange on the ethics of transfiguration. You will remember the Carla Inaldi/Gatti case?" Three heads nodded with various degrees of certainty.

Dippet took charge again "Ah, yes, and previously you won the Barnabus Finkley Prize for your transfiguration spells. Perhaps you could tell us a little bit about your interest in teaching?"

While Dumbledore filled them in on his desire to impart knowledge, his experience in tutoring an invalid relative, and the educational seminars he had run in conjunction with Nicolas Flamel, he noticed approving nods from some of the portraits circling the walls. Others were taking notes and one, a particularly frail looking witch, was snoring into a slice of fruit cake.

When he had finishing answering questions about his hobbies "Socks...is this a purely academic interest, or something you actively pursue?" and had a chance to ask his own "Has the practice of punishment curses on pupils been finally eliminated since the new legislation was brought in?"

he was ushered out, to be met by the frazzled witch who had escorted him earlier.

"You look cheerful, Mr Dumbledore. This way please."

Dumbledore smiled. "Thank you, Miss Frost. I believe you were a first year when I was studying for my NEWTS." A blush spread across her face and she mumbled an affirmative. "Well, I must be off. I hope you see you again." and Leselia Frost, looking hard at his retreating form, suddenly had no doubt that he would.


End file.
